A wide variety of cleaning compositions have been described in the art. Typically, cleaning compositions can be divided into hard surface cleaning compositions and laundry cleaning compositions. Cleaning compositions of these two types are traditionally very different in formulation and are sold as different products with different marketing concepts. These differences impose on the consumer to have to purchase and use at least two different products. Furthermore, compositions of the two types above, especially hard surface cleaners, can be divided into sub-typos. Indeed, many different kinds of hard-surface cleaners are available, for instance bathroom cleaners, kitchen cleaners or floor cleaners.
This variety in formulation is rendered necessary by the difference in nature between the soils which can be found on laundry and on various surfaces in kitchens, floors including carpets and bathroom. For instance, kitchen soils comprise mainly edible oils, while bathroom soils comprise mainly sebum and soap scum, also limescale; floor soils comprise mainly particulate soils and laundry may have many different soils and stains.
It is the object of the present invention to formulate a multi-purpose liquid cleaner which can be satisfactorily used on various surfaces as well as in laundry applications, to clean various soils and stains. The compositions according to the present invention should also be able to perform in a variety of conditions, i.e. in hard and soft water. They should also provide satisfactory shine performance and surface safety when used as hard surface cleaners.
It has now been found that this object can be simply and efficiently met by formulating a cleaning composition which comprises a specific nonionic surfactant system in a mildly acidic range. Indeed it has been found that combining nonionic surfactants belonging to four different HLB (hydrophilic-lipophilic balance) classes provides a cleaning composition which exhibits a great flexibility in the soils it may clean. Furthermore, it has been found that said surfactants of said four clams act in synergy in cleaning most type of soils. Furthermore still, it has been found that adding hydrogen peroxide to this nonionic surfactant system delivers stronger cleaning performance especially in laundry applications.